exercise

Saturday-1 hour of BodyPump. I had to take breaks in both the bicep and shoulders track. The planks got me too. I am not a planker. We also walked the dogs for 20 minutes that afternoon.

Sunday-20 minutes of dog walking. It was so nice outside this weekend!

Monday-1 hour of BodyPump. I made it through every song except shoulders. Those dang shoulders. Oh and I did punk out on planks for a few seconds again. We also did another 20 minute walk with the dogs. We discovered that Sonic is less than a half mile walk from our house. (I know what we are doing during the summer for date nights.)

Impressed by:

My squats and lunges. With my knee injuries, sometimes it is hard for me to push through these sets, especially lunges. I cannot do weight during these exercises so sometimes I feel really weak. But I really rocked them this weekend with my form and making the most out of the set. It may have burned, but I felt really powerful and strong throughout that whole routine.

Struggled with:

Making all of my workouts: I missed Wednesday and Tuesday. Tom’s schedule changed this week with the academy, so it interfered with my Tuesday workout. Normally he picks G up on Tuesdays, but he had to stay late for class. I was going to workout at home, but once I got home it seemed like everything else was calling my attention: George wanted love, dogs wanted love, dishes needed to be done, a meal needed to be cooked. So I just plopped myself on the floor and played with George instead of doing some cardio. I started my bible study this past Wednesday, and by the time that was over and George was in bed, I just forgot to do my ab workout.

Did I meet my goal from last week?

I made it to two classes this week and wasn’t late to either of them!

What is my goal for next week?

Not to fall down on the planks. Does anyone else shake while doing planks? I feel like I never see anyone else shake…

Fitness Thoughts:

It is really easy to push working out to the back burner when you have meals to cook and dogs to get home to or whatever else. I was really discouraged when I first looked at the fact that I missed two workouts, but then I began to think about it that I made four of them. I don’t want to get into a place that I am habitually missing workouts, but at the same time I know that I need to be flexible for those random days where other things need to come first. Last night it was more important for me to play with George than it was for me to do jumping jacks. And that is ok. I think we often beat ourselves up when we “miss” a workout, and then that can quickly spiral into missing lots of workouts. Like I said I don’t want this to become a habit, but I also don’t wont to be defeated because it happened. I think if I workout at least four days of the week, I made a good effort to be active that week.

Thursday-30 minutes running on a treadmill (I ran alongside the Dean for Academic Affairs. That pushed me a little more than I would like to admit.)

Saturday-1 hour of BodyPump. I know that I do not work out as well when I try to do it by myself. I LOVE going to workout classes. It is like having a personal trainer except the focus isn’t solely on me. It is really motivating to be in a room full of people. I don’t compare myself to them, it’s more of we can all do this together kind of mentality. (Ok maybe sometimes I do compare myself, but it is encouraging to push myself to their level.) BodyPump was my favorite class to go to in Ames, and I am excited to finally have a place to do it again. If you are not familiar with BodyPump, it is a strength training class that guides you through weight lifting exercises. Each song focuses on a different part of your body. I love doing weights this way. This is by far my favorite workout class I have ever taken.

Sunday-I attempted to do a half hour of yoga, but it was like everything was against me. I went to the gym but you had to provide your own mat for the class (nevermind that we were also 5 minutes late). So I had to turn around and nix the idea of that class. Then I went home to do it on the Wii, but anytime I would get into downward dog, George would start crying. So it was probably a good 10 minutes of stretching instead of full out yoga. Unless making oogly faces and baby noises at George counts as exercise, than I got a full 30 minutes in.

Monday-20 minute ab workout

Tuesday-30 minutes on the elliptical

Impressed by:

I made it completely through every BodyPump song except shoulders/back without taking a break. For not having lifted in over a year, I am happy that I kept up with the class. I would have made it through shoulders/back, but I thought I was able to do more weight than I should have. So I had to take a break in the middle to switch weights and catch my breath.

Struggled with:

On the flip side, I was upset seeing how little weight I could press. I was up to a pretty high number when I left Ames (at least high for me). It was a little eye-opening to have to start completely over with a clean bar on some things. I also have no core strength, so doing abs was ridiculously difficult. I am a little embarrassed at how much weight I could push and how many crunches I could bust out, but hey I can only go up from here.

Did I meet my goal from last week?

We have figured out a schedule, but there are still little kinks to work out which is why I was late to that yoga class. I pick up George MWF and do a light ab workout while watching TV sometime that night. Tom heads straight to the gym on those nights to do his workout. Then Tom picks up G-man on T/R so I can run after work. Then I plan on doing a class on Saturday and Sunday at our gym, and Tom and I will go to the gym together. We pay $8 a month at our gym for childcare which means we are able to workout at the same time after work and on the weekends so we can really maximize our time as a family. $8 for unlimited childcare is totally worth it to make our schedule work more efficiently.

What is my goal for next week?

Work out the kinks of our schedule so I am not late to a class. I would like to make it to two classes this next week. (We have bought a yoga mat, so I guess I can’t use that as a goal…)

Fitness Thoughts:

There are so many people at the gym in January. I really hope they all stick to their fitness goals and aren’t just resolutioners. It is a lot of money to invest in a gym membership so I hope they get the most out of it!

Saturday-Ran for 30 minutes on treadmill [My legs are still sore from this. I don’t even remember the last time I ran like that. It was a good run but awful at the same time.]

Sunday-45 minutes of yoga

Monday-30 minutes of cardio on the Wii [I have a video game-Fit Coach-that you can personalize your workout. It keeps up with your progress too. It doesn’t have the best weight/strength training, but it has really decent cardio and yoga. I don’t think I have had the same workout twice in the 5 years I have used it.]

Tuesday-30 minutes of yoga

Impressed by:

I am impressed with myself for actually getting up at 4:45 this week to make a workout happen. I am also impressed that I ran as much as I did for that 30 minutes considering it has been close to a year since I have gone on a good run.

Struggled with:

Getting up at 4:45am. I DO NOT wake up quickly. I know I am not a morning workout person, but it really seems like the only time I am able to get some time in besides the weekend. I know my workouts aren’t the best when I work out this early because I usually am still waking up when I am driving to work. It is all a process for me and one where I prefer not to be carrying weights or doing jumping jacks. I was cranky pants every morning.

Did I meet my goal from last week?

Since my goal was to workout at least 3 times, I would say I hit that one out of the park.

What is my goal for next week?

I want to figure out a better schedule. I know it takes time to get used to new things, but I have tried soooo many times to make morning workouts work. THEY NEVER WORK. For me at least. Half the time, I use the plank/cobra/anything-that-is-remotely-close-to-lying position as an excuse to lay my head on the floor and fall back asleep…So since I am being self-aware, I need to find a way to make working out after work do. Tom and I are figuring out a new schedule so that both of us can get what we need and not have to wake up before 5.

Fitness Thoughts:

It is hard to make this [working out] a priority with schedules of today. Work and family take precedence, and there is little or no time to exercise. Tom and I talked the other night that if both of us worked out for an hour in the evenings (assuming it is not at the same time since one of us needs to be with George), we would not see each other until 7, but really closer to 8 if you include travel time, which is when we are gearing up to put little one down for the night. I think this is why often it seems like a chore to people. I need to remember to make it fun. Hence why having it at 4:45 am is not a good idea for me. That is not fun.

Like this:

Since moving to Ft. Campbell, I have been on and off with my commitment to working out. I am suffering from NOtivation.

I could line up the excuses:

Work from 8-4:30

Desire to hang out with hubster

Getting up at 5 am to exercise worked for 2 weeks and slowly went down hill. Not happening. My workouts just suffered, and I got cranky.

Need to clean up/set up house

Still recouping from moving and figuring out my life

No gym membership so I wasn’t feeling guilty about not using that access that I had paid for

I started feeling gross and sluggish. Is there such a thing as couch sores? If so, I was getting them. So last week I did a workout with Tom since he was cleared from con-leave after surgery. I thought I was going to throw up afterwards. Looking at my running history, this hill routine should have been easier than it was for me. I put on my running shoes again last night for my first official run since moving to KY. Let’s be honest, you could barely call it a run. No actually you can’t. Grace and I walked half of the 3 miles that I logged. I only ran when I saw a car coming because I was embarrassed/ashamed that I was walking along the barracks route. I kept making excuses for myself that it was hot, too much hill, and trying to keep Grace from running after a deer. Um that huffing and puffing means that you are out of shape dear and need to start small again. At least I got off the couch for once though right?

So I have made a new plan and have it displayed on our fridge. This way I can cross each day off once complete. The achiever in me likes to cross things off lists! Yes accomplishment!

Also to spark that motivation, I decided to do this link up today. It is a fitness survey thanks to Mallory here. I am hoping that it gets my head in the game and will get me jazzed again about being fit.

1. What did you eat for breakfast? greek yogurt and granola

2. How much water do you drink a day? 3-5 bottles of water

3. What is your current favorite workout? walking Grace. She has gotten really good on the leash, and she accompanies me on most of my runs.

We love having family walks exploring outside.

I mean seriously who wouldn’t want to hang out with this sweet gal?

4. How many calories do you eat a day? I have no clue. I am not really keen on keeping track of this stuff. It stresses me out.

6. What do you usually eat for lunch? Since I pack my lunch every day, I rotate between a deli turkey sandwich or a salad to stave off any food boredom. For sides, I usually have cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and a peach. Really it is a grab bag of whatever fruits and veggies we have in the fridge that week. Then, I typically have a funsize treat like a snickers bar or a Ferrer Roche.

7. What is your favorite body part to strength train? Arms. These workouts make me feel powerful, even though I have chicken arms, and in reality absolutely no strength.

9. What are your “bad” food cravings? Thin mints, french onion dip and chips, peach-o rings, pretty much anything chocolate that has nuts in it

10. Do you take vitamins or supplements? I take a women’s multi vitamin daily.

11. How often do you eat out? We eat out once a week for our date night.

12. Do you eat fast food? Occasionally, and it usually coincides with date night. Or it is that day before we grocery shop. I guess McDonald’s french fries can be added to a bad craving. Sometimes I just need that salty potato goodness.

13. Who is your biggest supporter? Tom. He keeps me in check and in touch with reality when I am having a down on myself kind of day. He is also really committed to his own fitness which helps boil over to me as we create a healthy family lifestyle.

14. Do you have a gym membership? Not right now. We are trying to cut back on some spending, and that was something that was cut from the budget. I am going to really try to do this workout from home thing for the next few months to see if I can just motivate myself and save some cash along the way. If anyone has some helpful hints here, I would love to hear them. Like I said, I printed out a workout schedule with goals and what not. I have also been scouring Pinterest for at-home workouts to spice things up. I just brought home some newly purchased resistance bands to get me excited about strength training again without having to worry about the bulkiness of weights and bars. It is also forcing me to be creative with my time, such as doing my strength training while watching TV with Tom. Double whammy.

15. How many hours of sleep do you get a night? 6-8 depending on the day

16. Do you have a “cheat” day? I don’t know if I would call it a cheat day, or if it is just a day to relax and indulge a bit. This usually will coincide with date night. This way I can focus on Tom and I’s relationship and strengthening that instead of feeling like I am ignoring a needed workout. And we all need a day to rejuvenate and rest our mind and body.

17. Do you drink alcohol? Occasionally. Wine and apple beer are my weaknesses.

18. Do you have a workout buddy? As of right now, no. I have considered joining a running club here in town, but we’ll see how that goes. I am a little intimidated by the idea of it to be honest. Maybe once I become more consistent with my running again. Tom occasionally is my buddy, but that’s only if I really need to be pushed, or don’t want to walk the next day. He doesn’t give me any slack, even when I remind him that I am not in the Army. Then he usually tells me that my body can do more than I think it can, and he’s right. Grrrr.

19. What is the best thing that has changed about your life since committing to a healthy lifestyle? My first 5k I ran/yogged at a 15minute pace. I never dreamed that I would be able to run a half marathon let alone three of them. I always thought I didn’t have the strength mentally or physically to run that far. Crossing that finish line after my first half was one of the most exhilarating experiences. It showed me that I can do more than I thought possible if I just put enough oomph and will power into it. That feeling was addicting and is what keeps me lacing up the running shoes and hitting the pavement again and again. It’s given me a reason to push myself to be healthy and try new things. Exercising has also become an outlet to help me in some really stressful times with Tom being gone for various Army things.

Half Marathon #1 (St. Louis, 10/2011)

Half Marathon # 2 (Kansas City, 4/2012)

Half Marathon #3 (Orlando, 2/2013)

20. What was the last healthy thing you did? My run/walk last night and renewing my commitment to being fit

I think everyone can make little changes in their life to finding a healthier you. You just have to figure out what works best for you and not worry about what the next person is doing. It’s your body not mine. I have to tell myself this a lot to not get discouraged. And then Tom has to tell me that to not get discouraged, because I usually do not listen to my own pep talks. I have really tried focusing on just doing better than I did yesterday and jumping that next hurdle to a PR or fitness challenge. I am working on my exercise baggage and this honestly helped perk up a little competitiveness inside me to show myself what I can do.

And hey maybe half marathon #4 will show those results…

I have a recipe to share today for the crafty side.

I am not able to eat large portions otherwise I get sick from over-eating. So very rarely do I eat a dish that is bigger than the size of my hand. Sounds great right? Well in theory yes, except I get hungry every couple of hours and that can make me light-headed and very sick. So in order to ward off dizziness and nauseousness from not eating and the bloated feeling and nauseousness from over eating, I am always prepared with snacks. I have a snack drawer at work, and I have snacks in my bag at all times. I am the snack lady.

But I want to make sure that these snacks are healthy and easy.

So I searched for a an easy recipe for a muffin, bar, cookie that I could have for a mid morning snack using bananas that Tom and I can’t seem to eat fast enough. (Tom and I both like bananas with a hint of green in them. So inevitably, they go bad before we can eat them all. I do love making banana bread with these left overs, but that can get time-consuming to do each week.)

I wasn’t able to find anything that I particularly liked or thought was easy. I wanted a recipe that had things that we would always have stocked in our panty. We do not always have almond milk, agave, and cashews. So I made up a recipe that can be flexible depending on what you have. It’s all about trial and error.

bananas

about a cup of oats-These are to thicken the batter up, so you can use more or less depending on how much pb and bananas you put in there.

several spoonfuls of peanut butter-I used chocolate peanut butter to test it out, I have a weakness for chocolate and the nutritional value was pretty similar when I looked at both labels if not better in some areas. So I imagine you could use regular peanut butter, or Nutella instead. I also just kept throwing in spoonfuls until it looked like everything was held together nicely. Really, there was no science to this recipe.

half a cup of dark chocolate chips-this step could be skipped or adjusted to nuts, raisins, or other mix-ins you so choose. Did I mention that I love chocolate though?

Mix this all up and add whatever you feel necessary to make the consistency like a pasty dough. Like I said it is not really a science, you just want it to be thick enough that you can make balls out of them without it being all over your hands.

Once you have it all mixed, make a spoonful worth into a ball and put it onto a baking sheet. They don’t need to be neat by any means. Heat the oven to 350 and then bake for 15 minutes.

I will admit the chocolate makes them seem like treats, but they are much healthier than other things I could be eating. Next time I will try the plain peanut butter to see how that goes over. They are a good source of protein and a perfect little pick-me up mid-morning or mid afternoon. Two or three of them have been perfect to hold me over to the next real meal.

They look like no bake cookies, and are very similar. They are a bit spongy, so if you are texture person, just be aware of this. I think it is a good thing myself.

I believe they are delicious and will be definitely something I make again! Tom isn’t the biggest fan, so they may not be everyone’s cup of tea. I wonder if he is just saying that though so I will turn back to making banana bread with the left over bananas. I do make a mean loaf of banana bread…